Papa Bear's Visit

It was almost exactly a month ago that my daddy and Su-Yen came to visit me in Prague. I was nervous yet excited, as I always love seeing my daddy. I hadn't seen him since my sister's wedding in September, so I was definitely very happy that he was taking the time off from work to spend a week with me in Prague. My father and I have a very unique relationship, one that is based off of uncomfortable sexual innuendos and the mere fact that him and I are very alike, maybe too alike at times. As much as he is my father, he is very much my pal, one of my closest friends. We joke around more than any parent and child do, and I think I can confidently say he brings out a lot more of my weirdness. I think the physical distance ( he lives in Singapore) that our relationship undergoes really builds this relationship that is not so common between father and daughter. Anyone who knows me know how highly I think of my dad, as I truly think he is a super rad dude. I'd be lying if I said I never had my dad strike up a conversation with a cute boy in order for me to take to him. He is the best wingman. And although my dad and I have had many bumps in the road, at the end of the day we enjoy each others company, and truly cherish it whenever we have the opportunity to see one another in person.

So when he came to Prague, we made sure to do everything and anything. At the time, I had been too busy getting situated in Prague to have done a lot of the classic Prague touristy things, so having my dad and Su-Yen come visit gave me the opportunity to do all of that...for free ( I mean, thanks dad!)

On the first day, I took them to their first Czech meal, and surprisingly my dad agreed that czech food isn't really good, which was good for me because it didn't make me look like such a picky eater. That night we went to a really cool jazz club called Jazz Boat which was on a boat...in the river. It was super cool and very contemporary jazz, borderline funky at times. We had fun dancing in our little cool retro chairs, sipping our cocktails.

Jazz Boat Rockin' Out

The next day, we took a day trip to a town in Bohemia called Kutná Hora. In the 10th Century, silver was found in Kutná Hora, and the money that came from the silver is what is partially responsible for the beauty that is Prague because it helped build many of the beautiful architecture the city has now. One of the coolest things about Kutná Hora is its famous Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with bones of over 70,000 people. It was both very bizzare and yet really cool. But the truth is, thanks to things such as Halloween and Alexander McQueen, when one looks at a real human skull they are indifferent to it because we are so primed to skulls.

Sedlec Ossuary

Sedlec Ossuary

Bones

Bones Chandelier 

One of the funniest things to observe when hanging with my dad and Su-Yen is watching them compete to take the best photograph, as they taunt and brag to one another every time they snap a good one. If one takes a good one and shows the other, the other will go to the same spot and out shoot them.They are both photographers in their free time ( when they aren't busy checking emails on their blackberries), and everytime they travel they take thousands of beautiful photographs. Now that I'm part of the DSLR game, it has become the three of us competing for the best photograph. I am not joking when I say it takes us roughly 45 minutes to move 100 yards, as we are all furiously shooting away.

Dad showing his dedication to getting a cool picture

Dad being cute

Us being cute

While in Kutná Hora, we also visited the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist, which was originally a gothic church that was later rebuilt in a baroque style after it was completely destroyed during the Hussite Wars.

If I know anything about my preferences when it comes to art it's that I am a sucker for gothic churches. The detail in their construction often leave me breathless, and more often than not their stain glass window work leaves me mesmerized. Kutná Hora's Saint Barbara Church was absolutely no exception, as its flying buttresses and pinnacles were out of this world. 

Saint Barbara Church

Saint Barbara Church

Saint Barbara Church's beautiful rib vaulting

Me

We walked around the entire town of Kutná Hora, exploring the deserted town and then making our way back to Prague late into the evening.

Dad

A sky that had me singing "cotton candy tootsie roll" for a very long time. Why I decided to sing such a thing? I have no idea.

We were starving once we got back to Prague. Every time my dad comes to visit me, whether it be in New York City, Florida, or now Prague, he always tells me to pick a restaurant that I would love to go to but would never take myself to, and usually this freedom overwhelms me and has me googling places and asking friends for recommendations. But, on the daily walk from the metro station to school, I had always passed this Brasilian steakhouse, and had secretly noted this is where I wanted my father to take me. So we went to this  upscale churrascaria, which I can only imagine is the only one in Prague, and the only thing I can ask is why I have NEVER been to one before as it a restaurant built around the only things I practically eat: meat, chicken, french fries, corn, and bread. I was in heaven, absolute heaven, as I daringly tried every meat and asked for thirds a little bit more than is socially accepted. I am proud to say I lasted longer than my father, but honestly, who can say no to incredible brasilian steak sizzling in sea salt or garlic? Not I. My limitless stomach was truly happy at this eatery. I still dream about the meats. 

This is an after- eating shot of my plate: I was too busy stuffing my face to take a real "full plate" photo. 

The next day, it was a beautiful day and I took my Dad and Su-Yen to what is becoming my favorite thing in this city, the Prague Castle. We caught the huge performance of the guards, which was funny and awkward because being a castle guard seems weird. What happens if they have to pee while on duty? Are they deep philosophers thinking for about the universe during their shifts or are they mostly just thinking about nutella? Are they fashionistas judging the style of the castle visitors or have they mastered the art of sleeping with their eyes open? I dont know if this is a good sign or not, but the more I visit the castle ( I go with my art class a lot as well as taking little trips up there by myself) the more I start to recognize and remember the guards. I wonder if they notice I go there too often? Another question that has been puzzling me: what happens if one does not move when the three guards are walking to switch guard posts? Do they stop and wait for you to move, do they walk right through you, or do they take their fancy guns and use them?

Guard Performance Piece

Does this not take your breath away?

One of the best things about visiting the castle is that it sits on a hill that overlooks the entire city. Definitely one of the most beautiful sights my eyes have ever seen.

Me with the city behind me

We made our way from the castle to the Charles Bridge, walking past this river den where I spotted the greatness of nature. 

I love nature. 

Charles Bridge from afar

We walked across the Charles Bridge and my dad and Su-Yen blended in so well with the other thousands of tourists it was like finding Waldo.

Although I had never been to an Opera before, I always assumed it just wasn't my thing. My dad is really into everything, and he personally loves going to the Opera, so I decided to culturize ( I believe I just made up this word) myself and tag along that night. I had been to the Prague National Theatre before when I went to the ballet, so I knew it was beautiful, but as we sat in our own balcony box ( if that's what they are even called. All I could think about was Lincoln's assassination while sitting in there) I felt so VIP and cool! The opera we attended was The Bartered Bride, composed by one of the Czech Republic's most famous composers Bedrich Semtana, and it was so fun and lighthearted that I really enjoyed it. It involved folky music and folk dance, and although I was reading the english subtitles, I very much got that it was a humor piece as well. One thing I love about hanging out with my dad is that he always exposes me to new things, whether it be new food, music, or things such as opera.

Theatre

Dad being a VIP baller

Me being super cool at a Opera

I had school the entire week, so while I was a nerd in the classroom, my dad and Su-Yen explored the city on their own, and then we all met up in the evenings for dinner and a night activity. I grew up going to Hard Rock Cafe's and the Prague one was conveniently right next to my school, I did not hesitate when my dad opted to go there. Nothing better than a good meaty hamburger. Embarrassing thing about the Hard Rock Cafe? In the span of 24 hours, the three of us went there twice: once for dinner, and once for desert. But thats not the embarrassing part. The embarrassing part is, we had the same waitress both times. We were seated in two different sections, two different floors, and yet, we got her, and she remembered our drink orders. 

One of the nights we went to a marionette rendition of Don Giovanni, my dad's favorite opera, and it was so fun and entertaining! Although it was in Italian, I could pick up what was going on from body language of the marionettes ( funny to think marionette's have body language). I guess speaking spanish and a dad sitting next to me who is fluent in Italian didn't hurt either. The marionette house has been open and playing Don Giovanni for 40 years! Crazy right!

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

After that show, I decided I refused to let my dad leave the Czech Republic until he drank absinthe, since he was a absinthe virgin. We found a cool bar off of Old Town Square that had a military theme, with communist propaganda posters, murals of Stalin and Lenin, and real military gear on the walls. Although it seems a bit weird to have a military themed bar in a country that has seen too much ugliness from war, its surprisingly not that uncommon in Europe. As we fired up our sugar spoons and dipped them into our shots, my dad truly had no idea what was coming to him. No matter how cool absinthe seems, the taste is disgusting, and I never understand how anyone gets drunk off of it as the taste itself sobers me up every time. 

Add caption

                                                                                           Bottoms up.

As we relaxed on the very comfortable couches we were sitting on and let the warm sugary burn of the alcohol inch down our throats, one of my family's most favorite sing-a-longs came on: Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. This song was one of my parent's favorite songs to sing to, but I have adopted it as a family song as I still remember the last day I hung with my family of four ( mom, dad, sister, and me) a few year after the divorce this song came on in the car and we all went crazy singing it. Anyways, it came on at the bar, and my dad and I had a nice little performance going. Nothing compares to the family Bohemian Rhapsody performances we give in public ( regardless if the song is playing or not), but it was pretty epic, not gonna lie.

On their last night in Prague, I convinced my dad to take us to the Blacklight Theatre, someone that Prague is known for. After finishing our delicious meal, we had to literally sprint through the city to make it to the show on time. As we got to the theatre's door we realized it wouldn't open. "Yes we were two minutes late, but there's no way the theatre locks their doors" we thought. After confusion washed upon all of our faces, I spotted it: The night crusher, the spirit crusher, the sign that said the show had been cancelled for the night. Upset and out of breath, we figured the only way to make ourselves feel better was with some desert. But, unfortunately, czechs arent big into deserts, so desperate and frustrated with the lack of desert and lack of blacklight theatre, we made our way back to the Hard Rock, where we were greeted as VIPs or MFV ( Most Frequent Visitors). 

The week I had in Prague with my dad was probably one of the greatest week's of my life. It felt so good to share this chapter of my life with him, as his visit truly made me realize  the bold decision I made to move to a completely new city that is off the beaten path. I had so much fun just hanging with my dad, especially because the older I get, the harder it becomes to allocate time in both of our schedules to just hang in person and enjoy each other's company.I am truly grateful that Su-Yen and Papa Bear allow me to be the growing up teenager that I am, letting me speak my mind and respecting what I have to say. Nothing feels greater in the world than knowing you parents are proud of you, and respect you not only as their child, but as the incredible human being you are growing up to be. 

xox

ivd